Apple announces iPhone Duo foldable with high demand and 2027 shipping delays

What happened

Apple has announced its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, which was unveiled during the company’s “Surprise and shine” event [1]. The device features a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR screen with a matte “nano-texture” finish [1]. It uses an A20 Pro chipset, the same as the iPhone 18 Pro, and includes a 48-megapixel fusion camera [1]. Instead of Face ID, the phone uses a Touch ID sensor located on the power button [1]. The device is IP68 rated for water and dust resistance and features Ceramic Shield 2 on the back [1].

Pre-orders for the device opened on Friday, October 16, at 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT [1, 2]. Apple described the initial demand as “extraordinary” in a statement to the Financial Times [1, 2]. Due to this high demand, delivery estimates quickly shifted from the initial October 23 launch date to November, and eventually to late January 2027 [1, 2]. As of the reporting, it is no longer possible to order the phone for delivery within the 2026 calendar year [2].

Who is affected

Customers looking to purchase the new foldable can choose from several configurations [1]. Pricing starts at $1,999 for the base 256GB model and reaches $3,199 for the 2TB storage version [1, 2]. Apple has not confirmed if there will be stock for walk-in customers on the October 23 launch date, though the website suggests checking back on October 24 for potential store pickup availability [1, 2].

Users without AppleCare Plus should be aware of estimated repair costs provided by Apple [1]. These costs include:

• Battery service: $229 [1]
• Inner display damage: $999 [1]
• Other damage: $1,499 [1]

What to do next

To prepare for pre-orders, customers can use Apple’s product page to select their preferred color, storage capacity, and carrier [1]. Users can also set up a trade-in to reduce the cost [1]. Once these details are entered, the items will remain in the shopping cart, allowing the user to quickly confirm and complete the order once the official pre-order window opens [1].